Reflector apparatus and button therefor



June 19, 1945. H. c. SHAW REFLECTOR APPARATUS AND BUTTON THEREFOR Filed Feb. 12, 1942 INVENTOR. Hag] [liar/ts 514a Wam, Wa m HTTUIFNEYS" Patented June 19, 1945' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nmno'ronarf'irz'i'fismnu'rron Harry Charles Shaw, Marion, Ind assignor to Canton Glass Company, Marion, Ind., a corporatlon of Indiana Application February 12, 1942, Serial No. 430,548

2 Claims. (01. 88-82) The present invention relates to reflector apparatus and buttons adaptable to use in .or as road signs and the like.

General objects of the invention are the provisions of such reflectors and buttons characterized by molded button units which are easily and I economically manufactured on a commercial basis, are insertable in relatively fixed mounts from the front thereof and simply anchored in a re-.

movable manner thereto and are long-lived.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of such a molded reflector button which is characterized by an enlarged head, a reduced shank portion joined thereto adapted for insertion in a hole in a relatively fixed mount for simple releasable anchorage therein, a shoulder in the vicinity of the juncture of the head and shank portions for effecting desired centering and seating of the unit in the mount, fastener engaging means such as shoulders or the like on the shank portion extending no more than about 180" circumambient thereof and a coating of reflective material covering and efiieiently adhering tothe surface of the she and rear end portion whereby such units are readily removably mountable to a fixed mount in a properly centered manner and readily 'engageable by simple fastening means for security with the structure of the button being such as to avoid problems in the molding thereof in quantity lots.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such molded reflector buttons which may be effectively used for the reflection of light rays from light sources located fairly close to the road surface. such as the headlights of cars, while avoiding their reflection into the sky or such reflection of light rays from sources located a substantial distance above the surface of the earth, as an airplane, whereby effective operation thereof may be had without attendant tell-tale reflections to enemy planes thereby efflciently fulfilling the requirements of an effective "black-out" reflector.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an artiole of manufacture possessing the features, properties and relation of elements which will'be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 7

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the-invention referenceshould be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. '1 is a side elevational view. with parts in section and parts broken away, of one modification of the' reflector button of the present invention showing it mounted on a relatively fixed mount in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 .of another modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a further modified form of the invention and diagrammatic illustration of how the light rays may be reflected thereby substantially all on one side of a substantially horizontal plane;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view with parts broken away of a typical reflector button of the present invention showing light re-' flector and protective coatings thereon;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view with parts broken away of a mold of the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and in section of the mold shown in Fig. 5, the sectioning being taken along line 6-4 of F18. 5.

The present invention is characterized by a light reflector button 'removably insertable in a relatively fixed mo t from the front side thereof and which incl es a molded transparent unit having an enlar e'd head portion and a reduced shank portion rminating in an end which may have at least some portion thereof convexed for concentrating and reflecting light rays. Such molded units are effectively provided with a centering -shoulder in the vicinity of the juncture "the enlarged head and shank portions, preferably tapered for proper centering seating in a hole in a relatively fixed mount. Fastener engaging means, such as a shoulder or-shoulders, which may be provided by male or female threads or by one or more transverse ribs or grooves, are directly molded on the shank portion and extend no more than about circumambiently thereof. Enhanced light reflective properties are given to the shank portion and the free end thereof by covering with a coating the surface of which adjacent the surface of the shank portion is of light reflecting, quality. The end of the shank portion may be so shaped as to reflect light rays substantially all to one side of an axial plane through the unit whereby it may be effectively used as a "black-out" reflector button.

Such reflector button structure is readily adapted to molding in quantity production by a procedure carried out with the use of a mold in which aplurality of molding cavities shaped to give the required button contour have portions of the side walls thereof that form no more than about a 180 circumambient part of the button shank portions readily removable, such as simultaneously by a single simple operation. As a result fastener engaging means, such as a shoulder, molded on the shank portion of each button by the contour of such a readily removable wall portion will in no wise interfere with ready removal of a plurality of buttonsin a cluster from the mold cavities.

Referring to the drawing like numerals identify like parts throughout. A reflector button of the present invention may be formed of any suitable transparent moldable material such as molten glass. synthetic plastics, etc. It may comprise an enlarged lens-shaped head portion it to the base of which is joined the base of a truncated cone section ll which in turn is joined to a shank portion l2 preferably slightly tapered as shown to provide relief assuring ready removal from the mold. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shank portion |2 may terminate in an. end It which is convexed for concentrating reflected light rays. As shown by way of example such reflector units are preferably substantially circular in cross-section at all points but obviously may be of other suitable shapes such as elliptical in cross-section, etc. Whatever the shape selected the shank portion l2 thereof is to be provided with fastener engaging means such as a. shoulder or shoulders which extend no more than about 180 circumambiently thereof. As depicted in Fig. 1 such shoulders may be provided by interrupted male threads l4 or as shown in Fig. 2 may be provided by a transverse groove I! As shown in Fig. 4 the shank portion |2 of a reflector button is coated with any suitable light reflecting material such as molten metal, e. g. aluminum or silver, by any suitable means such as a spray gun to provide a layer It of reflecting material. Subsequently the coated shank portion of the reflector buttons may be given one or more coats ll of colored paint, enamel or the like, for protection of the coating of light reflecting material and, if desired, for identification such as to indicate time of production, etc.

Such buttons may be easily mounted on a relatively fixed mount such as a plate I! by inserting the shank portion l2 in a. hole I! in the plate with the section II forming a tapered seating shoulder engaging edges of the hole IQ for properly centering the reflector button therein.

The reflector button may be held in mounted position by a cap member 2|! of suitable material such as metal having female threads 2| engagin the male threads l4 and having an end closure at 22 for added protection of the light reflecting coating on the shank portion. The cap 20 is provided with a suitably flared rim 23 which engages the rear surface of theplate l8 removably to hold the reflector buttom in position, all as shown in Fig. 1.

As previously explained the shank portion |2 may, if desired, be provided with suitable fastener engaging means such as a shoulder by the formation of a groove l thereon which as in the previously described modification extends no more than about 180 circumambiently thereof. A readily operable and emcient fastener for such a structure may comprise a helical spring 24 hav-- ing one turn 25 engaged against the rear surface of the plate l8 and another turn 26 of reduced diameter in snap engagement with the groove l5, as shown in Fig. 2.

Such a reflector button of the present invention may be so shaped as to be suitable for use as a "black-out" button and this may be attained by convexina no more than about a 180 sectorlike portion 27 of the end It of the shank portion I2 and disposing the remaining portion 28 of the end substantially normal to an axial plane a 29. When the button is mounted with the convex portion 21 located above the axial plane 29, as shown in Fig. 3, substantially all of the reflected light rays will be located below that axial plane, as diagrammatically represented in Fig. 3.

For the purpose of assuring the proper positioning' of such a black-out button in its mount the button may be provided with locating means such as a projection or a rib 3| adapted to be engaged in a notch 30 in the plate I8. The rib 1 3| and notch 30 thus provide suitable locating abutment means. Suitable means removably to secure any such reflector buttons in a flxed mount may comprise an internally threaded collar 82 of any suitable material, such as a molded plastic, as shown in Fig. 3.

able material. The base section 33 may be provided with a central recess 35 communicating with a plurality of radially outwardly extending grooves 38-46 terminating in a plurality of depressions 31-31 forming portions of molding cav- 30 i-ties.

Cap section 34 may be in the form of a ring as shown with the central hole therein providing the side walls 38 of a central well and have a plurality of depressions 3'9-39 registered with the depressions 3646 in the base section 32 to form supply passages communicating between the central well and the cavities. Preferably the cap ring 34 also has a plurality of depressions 40-40 which register with the depressions 31-31 40 partially to complete the cavity walls. The walls of the molding cavities are completed by a plurality of reciprocable members 4|4| which are slidably movable inwardly and outwardly in substantially radially outwardly extending grooves Each member 4| has a molding face 43 which in the inward position completes the molding cavity and is adapted to mold no more than about a 180 circumambient part of the shank portion l2 of the reflector button. The face 43 of the member 4| is shown so shaped as to provide fastener engaging means, such as shoulders or the like, on the shank portion |2 which as indicated may comprise male or female threads, grooves orribs, or any other suitable means.

The plurality of members 4|4| may be moved to their inward and outward positions or reciprocated by any suitable means such as a camming structure. By way of example each member 4| may be provided with a cam follower 6o 44 which as shown may be a headed screw threaded into the member 4| with the extending shank thereof located in a cam slot 45 of a cam ring 46 rotatably mounted on a cylindrical surface 41 formed on the bas section 33 to provide a cam ring track. Any suitable means such as an arm 48 flxed to the cam ring 48 may be used to rotate the latter clockwise and counterclockwise; and the cam ring 46 may be supported or guided on the cylindrical surface 41 by one or more supporting members such as those shown at 4949, preferably three in number, mounted on the base section 33. As shown in Fig. 5 elongated cam slots 45-45 are angularly arranged so that as the cam ring 46 is rotated clockwise the members 41- will be simultaneasravse 3 may moved radially outwardly in the grooves 42-12 and when the cam ring is rotated counter-clockwise the members ll-li will be moved radially inwardly to inward molding positions.

If it is desired to mold the reflector buttons from molten glass a ball of molten glass known as a "moile" is dropped into the central well formed by the central hole in the cap 34 and the recess II in the base section 38. Care should be taken to see that the members ll-Ji are in their inward positions. The mold assembly is then located beneath a suspended plunger ll which by downward movement thereof into the well applies pressure to the moile of 'molten glass forcing the molten glass through the supply passages provided by the registering depressions It, "-88, ll into 'the molding cavities. The plunger II is then withdrawn and the cap ring it removed or lifted from thebase section If and the cam ring 48 rotated clockwise to retract the members ll-ll. It will be found that the molded cluster comprising a plurality of reflector buttons attached to a central blob in the well by gates formed in the supply passages is sufficiently solid or set to be removed from the mold by any suitable means such as a pronged claw or by inverting the mold. The retraction of the members 4 l-Jl by clockwise rotation of the cam ring 48 frees the fastener engaging means or shoulders on the shank portions of the reflector buttons so that the latter may. be readily removed from the depressions 31-31 in the base section II. The cluster is then removed from the base section 33 and the cap ring section 34 is replaced in cooperative position with respect to the base section. After the cam ring 48 is rotated in a counter-clockwise position to project the members ll-ll inwardly to the molding positions the mold is ready for a repeated operation.

The molded cluster is then passed slowly through annealing ovens or lehrs over a period of approximately 4 to 6 hours. It enters the annealing ovens at a temperature between about 950 to lo50 It". and emerges therefrom substantially at room temperature. The reflector buttons are then removed from the cluster by being snapped oif therefrom when a sharp blow is struck on the central blob of the cluster. The

formed by the supply passages in any suitable manner such as by grinding with any emery wheel. The shank portions of the reflector 'buttons are then coated with a suitable light reflecting material such as molten metal, e. g. aluminum or silver, from a suitable spray gun, after the buttons are preheated to a temperature of approximateley 750 F. which assures adherence of the metal to the glass. After the coating of light reflecting material and the buttons are allowed to cool they may then be sprayed with colored paint or enamel for protection of the coating of light reflecting material and if desired for identification as indicated above.

It will be noted from Figs. 5 and 6 that the contacting faces of the mold sections 33 and 34 meet on a plane in which are disposed the portions of the molding cavities which form the lune tures between the lens-shaped heads "-4! and the truncated cone or tapered shoulder sections ll-li of the reflector buttons, and that the disposition of the molding cavities is .such as to result in the molding of the reflector buttons in II and the reflecting end I! are formed'in' the ,molding'operation with smooth surfaces and-any feathers which may be formed at meeting surfaces of mold sections-or rough surfaces resultin from their removal are eliminated from those areas and are conflned to parts where they are of least moment, with the further advantage that the molded cluster of reflector buttons is so positioned in a mold that after removal of the top section of the mold and retraction of the members 4|-4l the cluster can be easily removed from the bottom section without interference from any part of the mold. Obviously. however, if desired the reflector buttons may be molded in inverted positions and the cam ring if desired may be rotatably mounted on either mold section. or the reflector buttons may be molded in other positions. and the reciprocable members llll mounted for movement in other ways such as by mountation on pivoted arms and reciprocated through arcs, etc., all within the scope of the present invention. Obviously the reflector buttons of the present invention may be made from transparent material other than molten glass such as synthetic plastics.

either thermo-plastic or thermo-setting, suitable provisions for application of pressure and heat being made where required, or from so-called cold-cast" resins.

It will thus be seen that the obiects set forth above and those appearing from the descriptions emciently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

' It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be-said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A reflector button removably insertable in a relatively fixed mount comprising, in combination; a, molded transparent unit including an enlarged lens-shaped head portion having a base, a truncated cone centering portion having the base thereof joined to the head base, a reduced shank portion joined at one end to said truncated cone portion and having no more than about a 180 sector-like portion of the other end thereof convexed, locating means on said unit for cooperation with complementary means on a relatively flxed mount to assure location of said unit on the latter in a predetermined position, and fastener engaging means on said shank portion extending no more than about 180 circumambiently thereof; and a coating covering said shank portion with the surface thereof adjacent the latter being of light reflecting quality.

2. Light reflector apparatus comprising, in combination; a relatively fixed mount having a hole therein and locating abutment means; a

' molded transparent reflector button including and terminating in an inner end and projecting into the hole, a tapered centering shoulder in the vicinitylof the juncture of said head and shank portions seating in the hole. fastener en gaging means on said shank portion extending no more than about 180 circumambiently thereof, a coating substantially covering said shank portion and. the inner end thereof with the surface of the coating adjacent said shank portion operating with said first-mentioned locating abutment means to prevent rotation of said button in said mount; and a fastener engaged between said mount and said fastener engaging being of light reflecting quality, no more than 10 means removably holding said buttonin the hoie.

about a 180 sector-like portion of said inner end HARRYC we I- I 

